Spanish colonization in the Americas largely centered on two keys areas: Mexico and Peru. These two modern-day nations and their adjacent areas were dominated by the Aztecs and Incas, respectively, prior to Spanish conquest in the early sixteenth century.
Motives for Spanish colonization in the New World can be summed up by "gold, glory, and God." First, the Spanish wanted to acquire vast wealth by finding and taking gold and silver from the Indians. Second, their leaders wanted to make a name for themselves and acquire prestige and titles. Third, they sought to convert Indigenous peoples. Of the three Gs, the most important for the vast majority of Spanish explorers and conquerors was gold. They were drawn to large, rich Indian empires. Those empires—those of the Aztecs and the Incas—were not located in North America.
Spanish settlement of areas in North America—such as those in Florida and New Mexico—was much less important for Madrid. Those areas provided no mineral wealth, and few Spaniards were willing to live there. Desultory Spanish efforts in North America were usually limited to exploration or subjugation of Native peoples.
No comments:
Post a Comment